Semi-parametric Inference for Regression Models Based on Marked Point Processes

We study marked point processes (MPP's) with an arbitrary mark space. First we develop some statistically relevant topics in the theory of MPP's admitting an intensity kernel $\lambda_t(dz)$, namely martingale results, central limit theorems for both the number $n$ of objects under observation and the time $t$ tending to infinity, the decomposition into a local characteristic $(\lambda_t,\Phi_t(dz))$ and a likelihood approach. Then we present semi-parametric statistical inference in a class of Aalen (1975)-type multiplicative regression models for MPP's as $n \to \infty$, using partial likelihood methods. Furthermore, considering the case $t \to \infty$, we study purely parametric M-estimators

America\u27s Choice Comprehensive School Reform Design: First-Year Implementation Evaluation Summary

In the fall of 1998, the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) contracted with the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) to conduct the evaluation of the America’s Choice School Design. This is a summary of CPRE’s first report of a three-year evaluation of the design. The evaluation of America’s Choice seeks to answer four basic questions: Are schools successfully implementing the America’s Choice program design? What environmental characteristics are facilitating or impeding implementation? How effective is America Choice’s implementation strategy? And what are the impacts of the program on teachers and students? As America’s Choice is still in the early stages of implementation, most evaluation efforts are directed toward the questions about the implementation of the program and the conditions surrounding its implementation. In subsequent years, CPRE increasingly will emphasize its evaluation of the impacts of the program on students. This report describes the first year of the implementation of America’s Choice. Following this introduction, section two provides a description of America’s Choice and the theory behind the America’s Choice school design. Section two concludes with a set of reasonable expectations for the progress of America’s Choice in its first year. Section three describes CPRE’s findings concerning the implementation of America’s Choice, including many of the specific design components. Section four analyzes the role of the school district in the implementation of America’s Choice. The report concludes with a summary of the findings of the first year’s evaluation

Molecular characterization of Miraflores peach variety and relatives using SSRs

The definitive version is published in: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03044238Some traditional peach varieties, originated from the region of Aragón (Spain), were analysed by SSRs (Simple Sequence Repeats). The aim of this research was to characterize 19 clones related to ‘Miraflores’ variety, with unknown pedigrees, to assess their genetic diversity and to elucidate their possible relationships with 10 traditional peach varieties. Twenty SSR primer pairs with high levels of polymorphism, which have been previously developed for peach, were used in this study. A total of 46 alleles were obtained for all the microsatellites studied, ranging from one to six alleles per locus, with a mean value of 2.3 alleles per locus. Fourteen SSRs were polymorphic in the set of varieties studied and permitted to distinguish 16 different genotypes out of the 30 initially studied, although fourteen ‘Miraflores’ clones showed identical gel profiles. The genetic distance matrix was used to construct Neighbor joining cluster and to perform principal coordinate analysis which allowed the arrangement of all the genotypes according to their genetic relationships. The genetic relationships among these traditional peach varieties, and in particular among ‘Miraflores’ clones are discussed. The obtained results confirm that microsatellite markers are very useful for these purposes.We are thankful to T.N. Zhebentyayeva and G.L. Reighard for helpful comments on the manuscript. This research was funded by CICYT (Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología, AGL2002-04219 and AGL 2005-05533), INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentación, RF03-014-C2), Bilateral Spain-France (HF03-273) and DGA (A28, A44) projects and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. M. Bouhadida was supported by a fellowship from the AECI (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional) of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Peer reviewe

Semi-parametric Inference for Regression Models Based on Marked Point Processes

SUMMARY. We study marked point processes (MPP's) with an arbitrary mark space. First we develop some statistically relevant topics in the theory of MPP's admitting an intensity kernel t(dz), namely martingale results, central limit theorems for both the number n of objects under observation and the time t tending to in nity, the decomposition into a local characteristic ( t � t(dz)) and a likelihood approach. Then we present semi-parametric statistical inference in a class of Aalen (1975)-type multiplicative regression models for MPP's as n!1, using partial likelihood methods. Furthermore, considering the case t!1,we study purely parametric M-estimators

America's Choice Comprehensive School Reform Design: First-Year Implementation Evaluation Summary

In the fall of 1998, the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) contracted with the Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) to conduct the evaluation of the America's Choice School Design. This is a summary of CPRE's first report of a three-year evaluation of the design. The evaluation of America's Choice seeks to answer four basic questions: Are schools successfully implementing the America's Choice program design? What environmental characteristics are facilitating or impeding implementation? How effective is America Choice's implementation strategy? And what are the impacts of the program on teachers and students? As America's Choice is still in the early stages of implementation, most evaluation efforts are directed toward the questions about the implementation of the program and the conditions surrounding its implementation. In subsequent years, CPRE increasingly will emphasize its evaluation of the impacts of the program on students. This report describes the first year of the implementation of America's Choice. Following this introduction, section two provides a description of America's Choice and the theory behind the America's Choice school design. Section two concludes with a set of reasonable expectations for the progress of America's Choice in its first year. Section three describes CPRE's findings concerning the implementation of America's Choice, including many of the specific design components. Section four analyzes the role of the school district in the implementation of America's Choice. The report concludes with a summary of the findings of the first year's evaluation